Trapped Within These Clear Walls
by o0Virgo0o
Summary: "She couldn't leave. Trapped in the dry air of Hueco Mundo, all she could do was wait. Wait until they fixed her."
1. Chapter 1

_Honestly, I just got bored one day and typed this up. IchiHime needs more love. This is the only chapter I have typed, so let me know if it's good enough to continue so I know to type up more. I have a general idea of where this will go, so I know what to plan. Let me know in a review okay?_

**_Disclaimer: *Yawwwnnn* I don't own this okay. Obviously._**

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><p><strong><em>o0 <span>Trapped Within These Clear Walls<span> 0o_**

**_o0 Chapter One: It's There 0o_**

**_Written By: o0Virgo0o  
><em>**

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><p>She couldn't get past that invisible wall.<p>

They couldn't see it, but it was _there._

Of course she knew this, but they didn't.

As all of the Captains walked into the big, black rip, she clutched her hand closer to her chest.

"Oh dear…" she mumbled, her hazel eyes lowering to the ground. Everyone was leaving, but she couldn't.

She didn't exactly _know_ if whatever Aizen gave her worked or not, but she just had a hunch that it did. What would she do when they found out she couldn't exactly _leave_ the one place everyone was so desperate to get out of? She had school to return to! Friends! Her red bean paste! She couldn't just _stay there_!

"Oi, Inoue!" Her head snapped up at the call of her name. There stood Ichigo in all his orange-haired glory. His upper body was deliciously bare, despite it being a little battered from the recent fights. His hakama were tattered to the max, but surprisingly still clung to his hips. His forehead was drenched with sweat, and his hand kept a tight grip on his sword. Orihime blushed furiously as she briefly thought that he looked _better_ half naked.

The auburn slapped her hot cheeks and shook her head. Oh what was she thinking?! She shouldn't be having these thoughts! What would her brother say if he heard what she was thinking? He'd probably shake his head and look at her with disgust at her lewd behavior.

"Inoue?" The voice was closer and Orihime opened her eyes to see the man that started her semi-dirty mind. Ichigo was practically touching chests with her whether he realized it or not. Squeaking loudly, Orihime stepped back, putting as much distance between them as possible.

"A-Ah, Kurosaki-kun! You startled me!" she stuttered, looking at the sand beneath her.

"Sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I just wanted to let you know that we're leaving. Come on."

Orihime's heart practically broke at the knowledge that she couldn't go with them. She could feel tears pricking the back of her eyes at the fact. "Y-Yeah… Why don't you guys go ahead of me and I'll catch up?" She smiled, but it was strained, hurt, shaky. It made her cheeks hurt.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at _that _smile. It was the smile that she used when trying to reassure someone on something she herself wasn't even sure of. It was the smile she used when she was hurt but didn't want anyone to know it. It was the smile she used when she didn't want to worry everyone.

He_ hated_ that smile with a burning passion.

"Inoue-"

"Don't worry about me. I'll be in the back of the group like always! I mean, not that I'm never in the front of the group, well, I am when we're running away. But when we're charging into battle of something like that, I'm usually in the back because I'm not that strong and my shield isn't either but-"

"I think it's better for you to go first. I'll be damned if I see someone take you from my sight again." She saw the anger burning in his eyes as she remembered Stark's action. That look made her heart both hurt and beat faster, though she didn't know why.

"Kurosaki-kun-"

"Let's go. Everyone's waiting," he said, grabbing her wrist firmly but gently as he lead her towards the Garganta.

The Garganta…

"A-Ah, Kurosaki-kun I don't think…"

It was getting closer.

"Kurosaki-kun, please..."

He wasn't listening and it was getting _closer._

"I-I can't-"

He was passing through it and she stopped. Not because she wanted to, but because she couldn't go any further.

She had walked into an invisible wall.

Her face was pressed up against a transparent barrier and Orihime felt her cheeks heat up as she pushed herself away. Her palm rested on the wall as she raised her eyes to the stunned onlookers.

Rukia and Renji had agape mouths. Ishida's eyes widened. Chad's face was stoic, but she saw the surprise flicker on his face. And Ichigo…

Oh Ichigo.

Poor boy was just confused.

"Inoue…?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I-I can't…" She took a shaky breath. "I can't _leave._"

There. She said it.

She watched him as he opened and closed his mouth multiple times before he shut it completely. Apparently he couldn't find any words to describe his confusion and Orihime bit her lip.

"What do you mean, you can't leave?" Rukia asked, stepping outside of the Garganta to grab hold of Orihime's shoulders. "We came all this way to save you, so why can't you _leave?_"

Orihime could see the smaller woman's pupils shaking as she stared at her. They were filled with confusion, hurt, and a tinge of fear.

"Kuchiki-san-"

Rukia spun on her heel, Orihime's wrist in tow as she started towards the Garganta once more. Tears blurred the auburn's vision as she watched the raven-haired's desperate expression. She passed through easily, but the healer found herself pressed against the invisible wall again. Rukia tried pulling harder, making Orihime whimper.

"It won't work Kuchiki-san!" Orihime squeaked, pushing herself away from the Garganta and out of Rukia's grip. She stumbled on her feet, before falling on her behind, her hair swirling around then falling over her shoulders and face, covering her expression.

Her shoulders shook and she sniffled. Everyone stood quietly as they watched the one person they came to protect break down in loud sobs. It broke each heart every time they saw he shoulders jerk. It broke each heart every time her cry pieced the still air.

"I-I'm sorry!" she cried, wiping her eyes. The tears wouldn't stop though. They continued to roll down her creamy, flushed cheeks. Orihime desperately willed them to stop, to no avail.

How embarrassing! She was crying like a baby in front of the strongest people. She really was weak, wasn't she? Just like Loly-san had told her time and time again.

She was _weak_.

A warm firm hand set itself on her shoulder and Orihime looked at it. A tanned hand lead to a tanned arm, to a strong bicep. A neck with thick, muscular veins presenting themselves, to a face she adored. The face she loved in a different way she loved her brother's.

Kurosaki-kun.

"Don't worry Inoue."

More tears filled her eyes.

"We'll get you out of here. It won't be long."

She couldn't see past them.

"I promise."

They overflowed.

Orihime nodded her head, the clear rivulets still coursing down her cheeks. Ichigo nodded his head towards Orihime once more, giving her shoulder a firm squeeze, and stepping back.

Never before had she had a problem with keeping her hands to herself. From when she was young to now, she always kept her wandering fingers from touching anything she wasn't supposed to. But when Kurosaki started walking away from her, she couldn't stop herself.

She didn't know when she had gotten up.

She didn't know how fast she ran.

She didn't register his tense form, but she did register his smell. She registered his hard back. She registered that wall of a chest. She registered everything that was wholly _him_. Her arms tightened around his torso as she buried her face in his back.

"Inoue-"

"Thank you."

She meant it.

It took her a while to muster up the courage to let go of him, to release him from her death grip of a hug. When she did, she kept her face down to hide the embarrassed look and pressed a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart.

Everyone watched as she looked up at them with a bright smile and teary eyes.

"Do hurry back please."

And everyone nodded, stepping into the Garganta with hardened faces. Ichigo looked back as the gap was closing to see Orihime's smiling face.

The rip closed.

There was something about leaving Inoue alone in that place that made his gut clench. It fucking sucked since everyone went there to save her. It fucking sucked since everyone endured countless injuries to find her. It fucking _sucked_ because he promised to get her out of there safely.

Only to just leave her behind.

Leaving her behind to sit alone in a deserted area. Leaving her behind with countless Arrancar not involved in the war. Leaving her behind to fend for herself without much to survive off of.

This was like the beginning to some fucked up adventure movie.

He pictured Orihime wandering aimlessly around that place, Hollows roaring around her. He heard her scream as they lunged. He listened to the sound of her shield cracking under the force of their attacks.

He_ watched_ her blood spill.

Ichigo ground his teeth as his stomach clenched at the image. Her lifeless body bleeding out on the sand. Her eyes wide open and empty. Her long, thick auburn mane fanning out around her and covered in blood. _Kurosaki-kun_… The word spilling softly from her plump lips just before her head lolled to the side.

Dead…

Dead.

_Dead!_

"Ichigo," Rukia gasped, her steps faltering. His reiatsu blasted and pressed down on their forms, causing Rukia to pant heavily and the others to grit their teeth.

"Control your damn reiatsu, dumbass!" Renji shouted, wrapping an arm around the petite Shinigami's shoulders, as if he could protect her from the suffocating energy.

Ichigo snapped back to reality, his body jerking, his forehead breaking out into a cold sweat. With rapid pants, the substitute Shinigami put a fist on his racing heart, beating against his chest as if that would calm it down. With controlled thoughts, he allowed his reiatsu to ease back into his system. "Sorry," he grumbled.

His comrades just looked at him, stared at his tense form as he wiped the sweat from his chin. No one moved. No one said anything for fear of setting him off.

It was tense.

To just sit there and _wait_ and _think_ and _hope_ that everything would be fine.

And it would be.

Because they would make it happen.

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><p><em>My first IchiHime story. I don't see it lasting all that long to be honest. Maybe 5-6 chapters. Let me know what you think and if I should continue this in a review! Arigato!<br>_


	2. Chapter 2

_Go. Men. A. Sai. Minna. Gomenasai! Between school about to start, family drama, recent moving, and another death in the family, I couldn't find any time to write this. Though I am very pleased to see so many people who wanted this to continue! Frankly, I didn't think this story would become so popular considering not many people like IchiHime, but thank you so much for giving me positive feedback!_

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><p><strong><em>o0 <span>Trapped Within These Clear Walls<span> 0o_**

**_o0 Chapter Two: It Hurt 0o_**

**_Written By: o0Virgo0o  
><em>**

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><p>By the time they got back, the war was already over.<p>

Bodies were scattered about. Blood was splattered everywhere. A metallic smell wafted through the air. And it was quiet.

Real quiet.

No cheers of victory. No congratulations for living were said. Not even groans of pain were heard.

Complete silence.

Ichigo kicked a small piece of rubble out of his way as he took in the scene with hardened eyes. His home was a mess. The town he grew up in was destroyed. His childhood area was in shambles.

It _hurt_.

So many memories were made in this area and to see it completely and utterly _battered_ made rage rush through his veins.

Oh but this wasn't his fault.

It was that _damn_ Aizen's.

_He _was the one that took so many lives. _He_ was the one that caused so much trauma. _He_ was the one that destroyed his living area. It was _his fucking fault!_

Ichigo took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, kicking another piece of rubble out of his way. In a way, he was glad that Inoue wouldn't be returning to this... _mess._

It would shred her heart to microscopic pieces.

And it would be _his fucking fault._

He felt something small yet strong collide with his backside and he lurched forward, his body hitting the ground painfully. Rukia lowered her foot and grabbed him by his orange hair, her face mere inches from his.

"Get a grip Ichigo! We don't have time to stand around and be sorry! We need to find Urahara and figure out a way to get Inoue out of there!" the petite girl shouted in his face. Immediately, Ichigo came to his senses.

It was _Aizen's fucking fault_ for trapping her there.

_Alone...!_

"Shit..." Ichigo muttered, running a rough hand along his face. Right now he didn't have time to waste. Yes, he was devastated that his home was a wreck, but he _knew - _somehow - that his family was safe. He could _feel _it in his bones. Urahara probably did _something_ to make sure that everyone was alive.

Though he would never admit it to the scientist himself, Ichigo was grateful.

"You're right," the bright-haired man said, getting to his feet. He didn't have the energy to yell at Rukia at the moment. His mind was swirling with images, words, scenarios, scents, _everything_.

His head _hurt_.

The surprise was evident on his friends' faces. For once, Ichigo didn't shoot a witty retort or yell at the small Shinigami. For once, the boy just _accepted_ the hit and harsh words. He didn't say anything else as he turned and scanned the rubble for any sight of the familiar bucket hat.

So much had happened in so little time. It was hard to keep up with everything that transpired in such a short span. But they knew they couldn't dwell and take the time to absorb and file away every little piece of information. A friend was in danger and they needed to give her their aid.

**o0V0o**

When they had first started their search it was bright. By the time they were slumped dejectedly against a large crumpled building, the moon had risen. The light touched their tired forms delicately and illuminated their sweat soaked faces.

No luck.

Rukia clenched her small hands into even smaller fists as her eyes shut tightly.

No luck.

She felt like she could shout in frustration at their lack of progress, but Renji had already done that for her.

Where was Urahara when they needed him most? He always seemed to appear at random times, so why couldn't he do that now? Rukia ground her molars together, pressing a fist to her forehead.

She was strong and she knew it. Time and time again, many people had told her that she could endure the hardest hits and the strongest blows and brush it off. She took pride in those compliments, making sure everyone knew just how _unbreakable_ she was. How _strong_ her walls were.

But then Inoue showed up and did some funky thing to her barrier.

Somehow, that girl had wriggled her way through that _very small_ crack she had and made herself comfy in Rukia's chest, dangerously close to her heart. The auburn had delicately touched it on many occasions, and the Shinigami found herself awaiting the next touch. When would it come? How soft would it be? Would she poke it too hard and break it? The thought had Rukia nervous.

The raven-haired girl felt no romantic feelings towards the busty teen. It was more of a deep, _deep_ friendship and slight admiration. Rukia had never had many female friends and she was very wary on who to befriend. To think that Inoue had easily squeezed her way into her life and stayed there happily worried Rukia. Inoue was now counted as a close friend, and to have her practically pulled out of her reach had her heart clenching painfully.

Rukia wouldn't give up on Orihime. She would bring her back one way or another.

"Oh? Look who's back!" a jubilant voice called from a fair distance away. "Kurosaki-san~ have you been waiting for me this whole time?"

Everyone's head snapped up at the same time, multiple colored eyes zeroing in on the figure walking slowly towards them.

Urahara Kisuke.

Ichigo was the first one up, instantly springing to his feet and slamming his fist into the shopkeepers face. "Dammit Getaboshi!" he shouted, yanking the man towards him by the collar of his shirt. "Where the _hell_ have you been?!"

"Ah Kurosaki-san~" Urahara whined, cradling his nose. "That was quite a greeting! And for your information, I've been quite busy." His eyes suddenly turned serious as he glanced at the slumped form on the ground.

Ichigo's eyes followed his gaze and his breath hitched_._

Aizen's crumpled body.

Bloody.

Battered.

_Real._

"He _almost_ made it to the Royal Realm._ Almost_. But I stopped him just before he could breach the barrier. Ah~ Do you know how close he was? I could feel all that strong reiatsu weighing on my shoulders. Maybe Yoruichi-san would like to give me a massage. Ah, that would be nice," Urahara ranted on. But Ichigo wasn't listening. No one was.

Renji, Chad, Ishida, and Rukia watched as Ichigo snatched the brown-haired captain by his shirt, his face mere inches from his own. They wouldn't stop him, and they all knew that they _couldn't_.

They wanted - no - _needed_ answers, and what person could get them other than Ichigo?

"What the _fuck_ did you do to her?" the Substitute Shinigami growled. Aizen's eyes fluttered open as a smirk graced his features. Ichigo was ready to just punch it off his face.

_He _was the _fucking_ reason Inoue was _still there!_

What reason did this fucker have to smirk?!

"Ichigo..." Chad started, sensing the dark reiatsu that was practically swirling around them. With one look from the orange-haired man, Chad kept quiet, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple.

It was dangerous to interfere.

Ichigo returned his suffocating gaze back towards Aizen, his grip tightening on the tattered robes.

And Aizen spoke.

"I don't know."

**o0V0o**

It was lonely and dark and cold in Hueco Mundo.

It was dry and quiet and _bland_.

How long had she been there, trapped within these colorless walls?

Black, white and gray.

Where was the blue? Red was splashed everywhere, but Orihime didn't like red because it was the color of blood. She used to like green a lot, but Ulquiorra's dead green eyes made her almost _scared_ to see it. There was no pink, no purple, no turquoise.

Just black, white, and gray.

It made her feel like she was colorblind.

Her hair was a collage. Orange, brown, gold, red, all combined to make a flurry of colors to keep her entertained while she sat in the cold room of Hueco Mundo.

How long would she have to sit there? Waiting? Waiting until they fixed her?

How long would she have to smell the blood on the walls?

How long would she have to wear this white uniform?

How long would she have to stare at her hair to keep her eyes happy?

_How long?_

_Just why couldn't she leave?!_

Tears leaked from her eyes as she pulled her knees to her chest. She was _lonely_. Orihime had finally gotten the chance to see her friends once more, only to see them disappear again.

It _hurt_.

A sob slipped from her throat and bounced off of the walls, slamming into her eardrums before it went silent once more.

She used to have the boisterous chatter of the Arrancar before. But now she had _no one_.

She was alone.

"Please..." she choked out, wishing, _hoping_. "Please come back soon."

And it was silent once more.

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><p><em>Once again minna-sama, I apologize for the long wait. Stuff happens you know and sometimes it's hard to fix. But once everything gets better, surely the updates will come pouring in. Please leave a review and let me know what you think! You all really surprised me with the amount I received last time. Thank you so much and please do it again. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!<br>_


	3. Chapter 3

_*le sigh* Minna~ Life is hard, who can agree? Sorry this is a lot later than usual. I want to thank everyone for the reviews. When you're having a bad day and you see people appreciating your work, it really makes the chest warm, ya know? School just started up, so maybe, just maybe, I may be able to update faster. I tend to think better when I busy with other things. Enough of my talking! Here is the next chapter!_

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><p><strong><em>o0 <em>****_Trapped Within These Clear Walls_****_ 0o_**

**_o0 _****_Chapter Three: The Despair You Show_****_ 0o_**

**_Written By:_****_ o0Virgo0o_**

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><p>That smirk.<p>

Never before had he hated a smirk _so much_ in his entire life.

Sure when Renji smirked smugly, it irritated him. Sure when his father smirked, he would just turn the other way. But their smirks had never made him want to _wring their necks_.

Ichigo's fingers tightened around the collar of Aizen's dirtied white jacket.

"What the hell do you mean you _don't know_? Quit fucking around!" he spat in the brown-haired man's face.

Oh that _smirk_.

It grew _wider._

"I assure you, Kurosaki Ichigo, I am not lying," Aizen said, his voice silky smooth despite the unrelenting grip on his clothing. Ichigo's head reeled back in slight shock, before anger snapped back onto his face.

"_I don't believe you_."

"You don't have to. Delusional people refuse to believe the truth."

"You fuck-"

"Ichigo!" Rukia gasped as his reiatsu blasted from his body in suffocating waves. She clutched a hand to her chest as the others stood their ground with slight difficulty.

"Kurosaki! Calm down!" Ishida shouted, taking a step forward before a large hand landed on his shoulder. The Quincy looked back at Chad with slightly confused eyes.

"Let him be," the dark-skinned man said, grunting at the heavy pressure. Ishida scowled, pushed his glasses up, and softly shrugged the hand off.

"Ara, ara?" The shopkeeper said, flicking open his signature fan. "Kurosaki-san, is it just me or have you gotten stronger?" he said cheerfully, causing the substitute Shinigami to glance at him in confusion. Urahara grinned behind his fan and walked over to them, clapping a hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "You aren't a very good interrogator, Kurosaki-san." He pulled the young man back, the tight grip slipping off easily.

Ichigo's fingers felt cramped from the death grip he once held. He flexed it a few times, staring at his hand.

That hand...

He had defeated so many enemies with it for Inoue...

But he still couldn't bring her back.

Why...?

Why?

_Why?_

"What did you do to her, Aizen?" Ishida had spoke for him. Some time during the confusion, he had moved closer to the fallen captain and easily angered teen, standing a mere three feet away with a hard scowl. "We know you are lying about not knowing." He pushed his glasses up further on his nose, the lenses glinting. "Just tell us what you did to her."

"_I_ did nothing." Aizen smirked. "_Szayel _was the one who... corrupted her. I just gave the order." Almost nonchalantly, the traitorous captain shrugged. "Who knows what he did to her."

Everyone stiffened, their eyes widening into the size of saucers.

He... _didn't know?_

_How did he not know?_

"Q-Quit... _Quit fucking around!_" Ichigo shouted, his grip tightening on his zanpakutou. He tried, he tried _so hard_ to keep his reiatsu in check for Rukia's sake.

But it seeped out.

Dark energy swirling around his form. Black creeping into the white of his eyes. Amber orbs slowly turning into gold.

_He was losing it._

A bead of sweat slowly trickled down Ishida's temple, a shiver running down his spine. The heavy pressure reminded him of the dome incident that had happened not too long ago. It made him _uneasy_.

The Quincy took a defensive stance, ready to prepare his bow if he needed. He would never admit aloud or to himself that Ichigo was a friend. But in this situation, he would kill him if it went out of control.

He would not allow a repeat of the fight with Ulquiorra.

_Never_.

It sounded like Ishida made it his job to keep Ichigo in check, and it irritated the Quincy.

Ichigo was grown up. He should be able to take care of himself. That guy did not need a babysitter.

In the blink of an eye, Kisuke had unsheathed his Benihime and pointed it at Ichigo's neck, a hard look in his eyes.

Normally, the shopkeeper would avoid threatening his comrades with his zanpakutou. But at this point in time, Kisuke was protecting them. Though he didn't know the full extent of his Hollow form, he knew that Ichigo couldn't fully control it.

And Kisuke wasn't going to let anymore of his allies get hurt.

"Now, I suggest you reign your Hollow, Kurosaki-san," the shopkeeper said, his voice still cheery, yet lowered ominously. His bucket hat shadowed one of his eyes as the other hardened menacingly.

Ichigo grit his teeth and forced his Hollow into the recesses of his mind, with much difficulty. With a thick swallow, he nodded, letting the others know that he himself was in control.

With a sigh of relief from their onlookers, Kisuke sheathed his Benihime and looked down at Aizen, who still wore that _damned smirk__._

"I believe it is my turn to take over this interrogation." The pale blonde cleared his throat. "You said you don't know what happened to Inoue-san?"

"I don't," Aizen responded, and Renji had to wonder why the ex-captain was willingly sharing this information with them. "I only told Szayel to make it so it was impossible for her to leave. Make it so she would be displayed to the world without the ability to travel. Don't you think she would make a beautiful mannequin of sorts? Bound to one area and seen by all who are aware?"

One.

"Almost like a poster for an action film. The heroine being chased by the enemy."

Two.

"Her blood splattering everywhere as the female cries for help."

Three.

"Wouldn't that be beautiful?"

_Snap!_

Before either Ichigo or Rukia could lunge for the traitor, Chad had latched his large hand on the Subsitute's shoulder and Renji had wrapped an arm around the petite Shinigami's shoulders.

How was it that the thought of Inoue Orihime shedding blood set everyone's blood aflame? Was it because they cared about her? Or perhaps it was because it was unfamiliar to the eye? Maybe it was because she didn't deserve to be hurt?

Whatever the reason, Renji, Rukia, Chad, Ishida, Kisuke, and Ichigo knew they could agree on it.

Before Aizen could get even more seriously hurt, Kisuke spoke. "If you aren't aware of what he did to her, then I suppose your subordinate knows?"

"He did, but it appears he has been defeated," Aizen responded. "Since you all are standing before me fairly unharmed."

Renji and Ishida shared a look.

"Why are you telling us this?" Rukia whispered, her small shoulders trembling. "If you don't have anything to tell us that will help, why bother saying anything at all?!"

"Purely because of the look of despair on your faces." Aizen shifted and faced the small crowd, who adorned confused and shocked looks. "Knowing that a friend is in danger, yet not being to help them is the worse kind of torture to inflict."

For the first time, Aizen's smirk _dropped_.

"Seeing the expressions you all make in this situation is utterly priceless."

**o0V0o**

He couldn't stop pacing, and it was annoying.

Ichigo continued to walk holes in floor, his scowl more pronounced, his form tense, his eyes angrier.

_Nothing._

He knew absolutely _nothing._

Didn't that Espada report everything to their leader? Why couldn't he have said something about the formula or something he had used to practically _chain_ her in that Hell Hole?

It didn't make _sense_.

And it _pissed him off!_

Ichigo didn't like being left in the dark. Not one bit.

He wanted to know what was going on!

So while Kisuke, Rukia and Renji sat at the small table discussing something about the Soul Society, Ichigo couldn't help but feel irritated. They said plenty of things that he didn't understand, and he _hated_ it.

What the _fuck_ were they talking about?

"Since I made sure all of the citizens of Karakura are in a safe place, you two have nothing to worry about. Once this war is fully over and everyone is settled in their areas, both humans and Shinigami, you can contact Kurotsuchi-taichou and ask if him if he knows anything about Inoue-san's condition. He might know something that I don't," the cheery shopkeeper said, flicking his fan closed.

"You mean you aren't going to do anything right now?!" Ichigo bellowed, stomping towards the three.

"If you haven't noticed yet, Kurosaki-san, this town is a bit... broken. Even my poor shop is destroyed!" Urahara pointed to a large hole in the wall which was clearly blown out in one of the many fights. "I have to repair the buildings and make it seem as though nothing happened before I let the citizens free." Kisuke sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah~ It's going to be a lot of work putting everything back together and it take quite a bit of time."

Ichigo's fist clenched.

Was Getaboshi... _giving up_ on Inoue?

"How dare you accuse me of such a thing!" Urahara gasped dramatically, clutching his chest in mock hurt. "I would never leave Inoue-san in such a place like that!"

Vaguely, Ichigo wondered if he could read minds.

"After I get the city settled, I promise to begin working on Inoue-san's condition." Turning oddly serious, the shopkeeper unraveled his fan and covered his mouth and nose, hiding his expression. "She's much to valuable to lose."

And vaguely, Ichigo wondered why.

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><p><em>*collapses into a chair* I don't know why that took so much out of me. I apologize for the mistakes I made, if there are any, and I DEFINITELY apologize for the late chapter. School seems to hate me and so does my laptop. but I'm proud to let you know that I already have half of the next chapter typed, so most likely it will be out sooner. YAY.<em>

_Thank you for all that left a review, and please leave one more for the needy!_


	4. Chapter 4

_*hides behind a counter* Oh... There you all are. And here I am... All defenseless and late for posting. *holds out the crumb of an Oreo* Want a cookie as a peace treaty? No? Then how about an apology? Will that work? Yes? Ja, I'm sorry for being late. I have no excuse other than pure laziness. Thank you so much for the reviews. They all make my heart hurt (in a good way) and I can't help but like it. Hopefully this chapter, which is slightly longer than the rest, will make up for my neglect! Onwards! _

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><p><strong><em>o0 <em>****_Trapped Within These Clear Walls_****_ 0o_**

**_o0 _****_Chapter Four: To See the Problem_****_ 0o_**

**_Written By_****_: o0Virgo0o_**

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><p>The rip opened widely, jaggedly.<p>

Orihime blinked, turning her head to see two figures step out of the Garganta, their shoes clicking loudly as they stepped down. Kurosaki-kun and Urahara-san.

It had been two weeks, maybe longer, since she had last seen any of her comrades. To see them now made her heart pound and tears fill her eyes.

Her chest _hurt._

"K-Kurosaki-kun... Urahara-san..." she whispered, turning to fully face them. She wiped her eyes with her tattered sleeve as she sniffled. "H-Hello."

No matter how desperately she wanted to fire off questions about the human world and how everyone was, she couldn't. Not when they just arrived there.

Orihime wanted to talk to them normally. She wanted to carry on a conversation with someone other than herself and her Shun Shun Rikka.

She wanted to talk about the weather.

She wanted to talk about school.

She wanted to talk about red bean paste.

She just wanted to _talk._

But she knew they were here to run tests and ask her questions about her condition. Orihime knew that they wanted to get her out of Hueco Mundo as quickly as possible, and she wanted that too, but she also wanted to just _bond_.

"Inoue-san~! Hello! It's been quite some time!" Kisuke said, clasping her hands in his own. She smiled as brightly as she could. "You don't look so well, but you still look beautiful!"

Orihime blushed, and her smile grew at the praise. His happy attitude was practically leaking out of his body and engulfing her. She felt warm and slowly, she relaxed.

Kisuke inwardly smirked at a job well done. She had looked so tense when they had arrived. Tense and nervous. In that form, he couldn't run any decent tests on her if she was stiff. Now that she was relaxed and half smiling, he could smoothly get started.

"Are you alright Inoue?" Ichigo asked, taking a step towards her. Orihime's heart thudded. "You look upset."

Shaking her head vigorously, she let a genuine smile slip onto her face. "I'm fine, Kurosaki-kun!" she chirped, her happy front entering quickly. "Just a bit bored and tired."

How could she be tired when she did nothing for two weeks?

"A few Hollows appeared and I took care of them," she said sheepishly, scratching the back of her head, an uneasy smile plastered. Everyone knew she hated killing Hollows purely because it was like killing a soul a second time. She felt as though the soul was suffering as they were 'purified', and the thought made her chest ache and her fingers twitch.

She saw Ichigo tense and wondered what the problem was. Surely he knew she wouldn't be _completely_ safe in Hueco Mundo. Orihime tilted her head, a strand of auburn hair falling to drape over her chest. "Kurosaki-kun?"

He forced himself to relax and grin. It came out uneasy and uncomfortable, and Orihime giggled at the horrible attempt. Yet she was still grateful he was still trying to reassure her, even though she disapproved of him hiding his emotions.

But didn't she just sound like a hypocrite?

"Inoue-san, we're here today to run a few tests. Do you mind?" Urahara asked, and Orihime shook her head.

"Of course I don't mind! Urahara-san is just trying to help me." She smiled brightly, clasping her hands behind her back. "If it helps me get out of here, you can do anything! A-As long as I am able to help..." Blushing faintly, she kicked the ground sheepishly.

"All you have to do is stand there and look pretty!" Urahara said with a grin. "And that shouldn't be so hard to do."

Orihime's blush darkened as she covered her face in embarrassment. Ichigo felt a vein appear on his temple as he roughly grabbed the back of Kisuke's shirt, yanking him away from the auburn beauty. "Oi Getaboshi, quit embarrassing her!"

"Ara~? Kurosaki-san, I was complimenting her! What's with the face?"

"Nothing. It's just my face."

"Well it's really scary~! Inoue-saaaan, isn't his face scary?"

"E-Eh? W-Well, I-I don't think it's scary..."

"Don't answer him Inoue. He's just kidding around."

"I-Is he?"

"Of course not. I'm sure he makes innocent babies cry with that look."

Ichigo scowled and punched Kisuke's skull, the shopkeeper letting out a soft whine at the attack. Orihime waved her hands in front of her face as she tried to calm the arguing duo. Despite the circumstances, she found herself giggling at their antics.

It was nice. The tension dissipated for a short time, and she was grateful for it.

They were just _talking_ for the moment.

It was really, really nice.

After a few moments of childish banter and a few punches (courtesy of Ichigo), things calmed down. Orihime sat on a large piece of debris from the collapsed dome-like structure. Ichigo stood next to her while Kisuke stood in front of the pair, removing a small microscope slide and a needle from his dark haori.

"May I have your hand Inoue-san? I need to draw a bit of blood," the shopkeeper asked. Orihime nodded and started to outstretch her hand, only to have the way blocked by a tanned arm.

"You didn't mention anything about taking her blood," Ichigo said, his lips in a hard scowl. Orihime blinked as Kisuke smirked.

"It's standard procedure when trying to find something wrong with the human body, Kurosaki-san. Hasn't your father taken blood of many patients as well?" Ichigo didn't answer and Urahara continued. "Then you see where I'm coming from. I would like to avoid taking her life force, but remember, this is to help her."

Silence, and Ichigo put his arm down. When he said 'life force', it made the simple action sound so much more deadly.

Ichigo had no problems with seeing blood. Hell, he practically bathed in it everyday.

There was just something about seeing... Inoue's blood.

It made his gut twist, clench, and drop just by a mental image.

But as Getaboshi pricked her finger with that little needle, as the crimson liquid exited out of that small hole, he felt his chest squeeze uncomfortably.

He needed to get a check up. He wasn't supposed to be feeling this shit.

Kisuke watched as the small blood droplet fell onto a microscope slide. He smiled and covered it with another slide and shoved it into his haori as Orihime stuck her finger in her mouth. "Now that I have that, I need you to drink this," the shopkeeper said, removing a flask from his coat.

It was a purple, bubbling liquid. And it looked oddly dangerous.

"Oi-" Ichigo started.

"Don't worry Kurosaki-san, it isn't anything poisonous," the pale blond reassured, waving a hand. "The blood is used to check her inner body for any diseases of sorts. This liquid is used to check the place where blood doesn't reach." At the blank stares he received, Urahara clarified. "Her soul."

"M-My soul?" Orihime asked. She felt her heart rate speed just a tad, and she placed a hand over it, almost as if to slow it down. "Wh-What's wrong with it?"

"As far as we know, nothing." Kisuke shrugged. "But if you truly aren't allowed to leave this place, then something must be off with it."

Orihime swallowed thickly, looking down at the ground. A large hand landed on her shoulder, and she snapped her head up to look at Ichigo. His eyes tried to reassure her, yet she didn't feel very reassured. She, once again, was grateful for the attempt. But it just didn't work this time around. The thought that something was wrong with her soul had her nearly trembling.

What if she was slowly losing it? Like it was fading away?

Would she be doomed to pass here? Alone in Hueco Mundo?

She... _She didn't want that_.

"It's going to be alright, Inoue," Ichigo said once he felt her shaking. Her wide eyes stared terrified at the floor, and he squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure it's nothing."

But how could he reassure her when he was damn there just as worried as her? He was doing a very shitty job of trying to shield her from the fear. Avoiding words, Ichigo took his large hand and set it on her head, rubbing it and messing up the style. Orihime blinked and let out a small smile, and Ichigo turned away to hide the small blush, trying to focus on something other than her soft hair.

She was going to be fine... Right?

After simple instructions on how to drink the suspicious liquid, Orihime took the flask. She stared at it for a bit before wafting it lightly. It smelled oddly of strawberries. It was purple, but strawberries were red.

So why didn't it smell like grapes?

Orihime shook her head and pressed the cool glass to her lips, tilting it slightly. Urahara-san had told her to drink it slowly and thoroughly. She wasn't to swallow it so quickly, and whenever she started to feel hot, she had to stop drinking it immediately. The last part made her uneasy and Kurosaki-kun angry.

But she trusted Urahara-san.

So she would listen.

Orihime drank about half of the drink before her body started to warm up. It felt like the warmth was wrapping around her, and she removed it from her mouth.

_Burning..._

She had expected her temperature to rise steadily or not rise at all. But once she felt the warmth, it skyrocketed to an impossible temperature.

_Suffocating..._

It felt like she couldn't breathe. Like her lungs were being crushed under a heavy weight.

_Pain... Lots of pain..._

It felt like she had drank acid, and it was coating and melting her insides. Orihime grabbed her stomach as she keeled over, panting heavily and dropping the flask. It shattered on the ground, the liquid spilling and spreading.

"I-It hurts... Urahara-san," she whimpered, and Ichigo's hands shot out to curl around her shoulders.

"Inoue?" he asked frantically. "What's wrong?"

She was so _hot_. And not in that sense. He struggled to keep holding her instead of pulling away.

He could see her body steaming, and it angered him.

"Hurts..." she muttered to herself, her small hand clutching her chest.

"_Getaboshi!_" Ichigo growled, tightening his hold.

Urahara swiped a cut into the air with his fan, the slash opening to form a Garganta. Kisuke grabbed Orihime's burning wrist and pulled her to her feet. "Ara~? She's really burning up!"

"The fuck did you do to her?!" Ichigo shouted, grabbing Kisuke's shoulder roughly, resisting the urge to hit him square in the face. The shopkeeper paid him no mind as he coaxed Orihime towards the Garganta. It _rippled_ as her fingers touched the surface of the barrier.

She... She was _walking_ through it?

Her hands. Her wrist. Her forearms. They all went through that invisible wall. Orihime gasped and Ichigo's eyes widened.

_Was she finally going to leave?_

Apparently, there was a limit as to how far she could go. Her upper arms passed through, but her chest pressed against the barrier.

"I see..." the pale blond murmured.

"U-Urahara-san..." Orihime whimpered just before her legs gave out. She slid down the wall and Ichigo darted to her side.

"Inoue!" he shouted, as her hands were forced back behind the barrier. Her body temperature lowered down to it's normal heat and her breathing regulated.

Now she just felt really... Heavy.

Ichigo grit his teeth as he slid his arms underneath her legs and back, lifting her up. Orihime tried to whisper and apology, but her mouth felt like she was eating cotton. She just allowed Ichigo to carry her to the small rug she had been resting on during her stay while the orange-haired Shinigami was losing his shit.

What the _fuck_ just happened?

"You better have a good fucking explanation for why she was hurt. You said yourself that that shit wasn't dangerous!" Ichigo shouted, trying to resist slamming the suspicious shopkeeper's head into the concrete wall one hundred times over in front of Inoue.

It took a lot of fucking self control.

"Ah that?" Kisuke said, hiding his grin behind his fan. "_That_ was figuring out the problem."

"_That_ seemed like it was making it worse!" the carrot top teen spat.

"On the contrary, Kurosaki-san. Thanks to that experiment, I know what's wrong and can proceed in making an antidote."

Orihime's eyes fluttered open at the news, and Ichigo took a sharp breath. "The what the hell is wrong with her?"

"The answer is surprisingly simple." He flicked his fan closed.

"Her soul is _locked_."

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><p><em>*peeks from behind the counter* Is that long enough to make up for my absence? ... No? Gomen ne minna. The next chapter should be up soon, since that is halfway typed. Just leave a review rushing me to update, and if I get at least ten telling me to hurry up, I'll post the chapter on this coming Wednesday. Sound good? (Funny, I hate being rushed but now I'm encouraging you to do it). The more you rush me, the sooner the chapter! So start pushing!<em>


	5. Chapter 5

_Uwahhhh! Minna! You rushed me! That means I'm doing a really good job huh? As promised, the chapter is up on Wednesday (one of my favorite days). Thank you for all the precious reviews! They're like diamonds in my sky!  
><em>

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><p><em><strong>o0 <span>Trapped Within These Clear Walls<span> 0o**_

_**o0 Chapter Five: Explain To Us 0o**_

_**Written By: o0Virgo0o**_

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><p><em>It was cold.<br>_

_This room was always cold._

_Goosebumps littered her skin as she rubbed her arms, taking deep breaths._

_Why was it always so cold?_

_Orihime stared out of the small window, start at the unchanging moon. She loved the moon. It always relaxed her during the most dangerous circumstances or during her most saddened moments. The moon was a great sight._

_But not this moon._

_This moon shone differently than it did in the human world. It didn't light up the world like her moon did._

_She didn't like it._

_Orihime shivered and rubbed her arms faster, trying to warm herself up. She pulled her knees to her chest as she tried to desperately conserve what very little heat she had._

_The loud sound of concrete scooting against concrete make her jump and spin around to face the visitor. Slick, pink hair and a mischievous smirk had her shuddering for a completely different reason._

_"S-Szayel-san..." she whispered._

_"Hello Orihime-san," Szayel, his voice suave and polite. More shivers ran up and down her spine, and she mentally berated herself for showing her weakness. In order to cover that up, Orihime forced a smile. It came out uneasy and suspicious, and Szayel chuckled at the attempt. "Please Orihime-san. There is no need for you to hide your emotions in my presence. In fact, they are actually quite fascinating. Please," he walked over slowly and stroked her chin, "show me more."  
><em>

_The **fear**._

_It was intoxicating._

_The way it shone clearly in her wide hazel shaking as she stared into his gold eyes._

_It was **beautiful**._

_Humans were such complex creatures._

_He was going mad trying to figure them out. But then again..._

_He was already insane._

_Removing his hand from her chin, he grinned as she scooted away, curling her legs closer to her chest. She tried, yet failed, to hide that lovely fear in her expression._

_Oh yes. He would have to study her later._

_"Do not worry, Orihime-san. I won't be doing anything to hurt you. I just need you to inject this into your system," Szayel said, holding out a syringe filled with a turquoise liquid. Of course, he could do it himself, but seeing the pain on her face as she caused herself her own harm would be much more tasteful._

_"W-What if I don't want to?" she asked meekly, slowly standing._

_"You don't really have a choice."_

_How did she know he would say that?_

_"What's... In it?" she asked._

_"Just something to make sure you won't escape." He smirked and placed the syringe in her hand. She wrapped her slender fingers around it._

_It was cold._

_Why wasn't anything warm in this place?_

_Did she really have to inject this mysterious liquid into her system? What would happen if she didn't? Would he hurt her? For some reason she wasn't as scared of him as she was of the substance in her hand._

_As Orihime held the syringe in her shaking fingers, her face paled at the thought of what it could do to her. At this point, she wasn't scared of death itself, but she was scared of dying alone with no one around that she trusted.  
><em>

_This serum could kill her._

_She didn't want to die._

_The hand holding the syringe raised slowly, ready to throw it on the floor._

_The sound of metal scratching against a sheathe caught her attention, and she gulped when the tip of his sword was suddenly pointed at her smooth neck. Her fingers **almost** loosened, but she tightened the grip at the last minute. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple._

_Her heart sped up._

_She was scared._

_"I wouldn't do that if I were you. It took me quite some time to make that, and you **will** use it." Despite the smirk on his face, his eyes twinkled dangerously, as if he wouldn't care if he slit her throat right then and there. "Please think wisely, Orihime-san."  
><em>

_Tears filled her eyes at her options.  
><em>

_Why her?_

_Because she **chose** to come to Hueco Mundo._

_She chose her own fate._

_It was her own fault..._

_One tear slipped free, followed by another, and another. She cried freely as she stuck the needle in her arm, pushing the liquid into her system._

_It was her **choice.**_

**o0V0o**

"Her soul is _w__hat?_" Rukia shouted, slamming her tiny palms on the kotatsu table.

"Locked~" Urahara said cheerfully, flicking his fan over his face. Rukia hopped over the table and kicked him on the forehead, her pretty face contorted in fury.

"Don't sound so goddamn _happy_ about it!" Her tiny body trembled as she stood there. His words bounced around her brain.

Her soul was _locked..._

From _what?_

"Please elaborate, Urahara-san," Ishida said, pushing his glasses up. He had turned visibly pale when he had heard the news. He wasn't entirely sure what 'locked' meant, but even he could piece together that it wasn't good.

The group consisted of Rukia, Ishida, Chad, Renji, and of course, Ichigo. All had gathered shortly after Ichigo and Urahara had returned, curious about Inoue's condition.

Rukia and Renji had done what they were asked to and went to Kurostuchi for information.

They immediately left when he mentioned something about dissecting her for a more 'thorough' search.

"When I say her soul is locked, I mean that it's..." Urahara paused as he thought of a simpler way to explain it for Ichigo and Renji. "Jammed in a way."

"'Jammed'?" Renji asked. "The hell does that mean?"

"The book definition would be that her soul is wrapped in a substance that prevents it from moving forward into another dimension," Urahara explained, tapping his fan on the table in thought. "Even though it's trapped in a human body, it's still able to roam freely between areas. That explains why she was able to travel to the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo with no trouble. She wasn't 'locked' inside the human realm."

"I see..." Ishida murmured, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"I still don't get it," Renji blurted.

"Something is coating her soul and preventing her from leaving," Uryuu clarified. "It's like a spider wrapping its web over a moth. The moth is trapped in the grip and is therefore prevented from leaving until the spider eats it or it dies on its own."

"And that substance is all over her soul?" Rukia asked.

"Most likely," Kisuke said. "Depending on the time since injection, it could already be thick enough and unable to remove. We don't know for sure." He heard the sound of glass breaking and smiled in Ichigo's direction. "But I'm pretty sure that isn't the case!"

Ichigo glared as his hand dripped with blood and water.

Fuck Urahara for being so goddamn pessimistic.

"Then how do we fix her?" Chad asked, speaking for the first time throughout the night.

Silence. And everybody waited for Urahara's answer.

"Since she was able to feel the painful effects of the chemical I gave her, it's still able to be removed. But since the reaction was so violent, it's awfully thick unfortunately." The shopkeeper sighed dramatically. "I'll have to create a dangerously strong concoction in order to get rid of the first layer."

"There's _layers_?!" Ichigo shouted.

"About as many as an onion!" the pale blond grinned.

"How long until it's impenetrable?" Ishida asked. Urahara shrugged.

"It all depends on how strong the original solution was. I say we have about a month or two at the most."

Sharp intakes of breaths.

"So we only have two months to save her?" Ichigo practically growled, his fist clenching. His knuckles were turning white. His eyes were blazing.

He was _angry_.

"That's just an educated guessed based off of the information I've collected so far, Kurosaki-san. I can create a temporary solution in order to slow the process. But until I have detailed facts about every nook and cranny of this _glue_, I can't create anything solid."

That had to be the worst thing Ichigo had heard all night.

The fact that they couldn't do anything to help Inoue as she was trapped in that Hellhole made his mouth taste like acid.

She could only defend herself but so much on her own. How the hell could she _stay_ stuck in the area where her life was in the most danger?

All while Getaboshi - and possibly Kurotsuchi - were poking and prodding on her soul trying to find the source.

She wasn't a _fucking __science project._

She wasn't a _fucking toy_ on display.

And she wasn't _fucking food!_

"_Dammit!_" Ichigo shouted, slamming his fist into the tatami mats underneath him.

He felt so fucking _useless_.

"Ah! Kurosaki-san~" Urahara called, tapping the carrot top teen on the head with the fan. "I have a very important task for you!"

Amber orbs raised slowly.

"In order to help with the research, I need you to ask Inoue-san about the substance that Arrancar had given her. It's crucial to get every detail she remembers."

He... was _needed?_

"She feels the most relaxed around you." Urahara grinned and hid it behind his fan. Ichigo was tempted to slice it into many microscopic pieces. "I wonder why that is~"

Why did he feel as though he was being _teased_?

"And if you two would be so kind to request a pardon for me to enter the Soul Society?" Kisuke asked, directing his attention towards Rukia and Renji. "If I am to go about this seriously, I'll need a larger lab. Kurotsuchi-taichiou's is large enough."

The Shinigami grinned.

Fixing Inoue Orihime was finally about to begin.

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><p><em>Not my best chapter, but it was mostly just explanation. If you need clarification on Inoue's 'disease', please ask and I will try to explain it best as I can using funny comparisons. If it seems too farfetched, just remember that Ichigo is everything in the Bleach book (Shinigami, Human, Hollow, Fullbringer, fricken QUINCY). If you don't like it, sorry to say I don't really care. Any and everything is possible in Bleach, so I think you can deal with a little made up mess.<em>

_Sugar Cookie Pizza's for everyone who reviews! Thank you!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Minna! You made me touch 50 reviews! I'm so happy! I never thought I'd even get this many (shows how much confidence I have in myself XD). I would've posted this earlier, but my laptop crashed like 60 times and my brother wouldn't let me use his. Plus I had no idea what to do with this. *sigh* Alas, the chapter is up and ready (somewhat) for your eyes to read. Please enjoy this filler chapter to digress from the seriousness for a while.  
><em>

_Disclaimer: Kubo Tite, Tite Kubo, same difference. He owns this and not me, a lowly American commoner._

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><p><strong><em>o0 <span>Trapped Within These Clear Walls<span> 0o_**

**_o0 Chapter Six: Of Weird Feelings and Bonding 0o_**

**_Written By: o0Virgo0o_**

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><p>Orihime didn't expect any visitors that day. Truth be told, she didn't expect any visitors for a while.<p>

So when Kurosaki-kun stepped through the Garganta, she was more than surprised.

She was also very happy.

"Kurosaki-kun!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly. Letting his own smirk grace his face, he dropped to the floor gracefully.

"Yo, Inoue," he greeted.

It felt like years since she last heard his voice.

Why did it hurt her chest so much?

Nevertheless, Orihime plastered a smile on her face as she looked over his form. No visible injuries, thank goodness. He was also alone and carrying a bundle of clothes and a small bento. The auburn furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and tilted her head.

While she stood there looking him over, Ichigo was doing the same thing to her. From what he could tell, she didn't have any injuries to the naked eye, but he also didn't rule out the possibility of her healing her own injuries beforehand.

Seeing her confused expression, a small blush painted his cheeks as he thrust out the objects in his hand. "Here."

Orihime blinked and carefully took the items, their hands brushing against one another. The healer jerked, her fingers tingling pleasantly while Ichigo jerked his arms back as if they were on fire.

"S-Sorry," he mumbled. Orihime smiled and shook her head.

"It's nothing!"

"I uh..." He cleared his throat before speaking again. "I brought you some clothes since those ones are looking a little...uh... ripped."

Orihime looked down at her tattered attire and blushed in embarrassment, lifting her hand to the cover the slight cleavage peeking out. "T-Thank you..." She smiled gratefully.

"And there's also some food in that bento. You're looking a little skinny lately and I'm pretty sure you haven't had a decent meal since... shit hit the fan."

Orihime giggled, the soft sound caressing his ears.

_That_ was a sound he hadn't heard in a while. It was... nice.

"Thank you again, Kurosaki-kun. I really am grateful." Her smile was small, but soft as she ran a slender finger over the bento box. "Really..."

"It's just food Inoue."

"Not for just the food," she whispered, shaking her head and causing her thick hair to fall over her shoulder. "I'm grateful for everything everyone is doing for me. You all came here to help and save me." Her small hands clenched around the clothes. "Even after everything you all went through, I'm still causing trouble for Urahara-san-"

A dark aura engulfed her frame and Orihime shuddered. Did the room just get colder? Her hazel orbs raised up to look at her visitor and she gasped softly at the look of pure rage on his face.

Never before was his anger directed at _her_.

"_Inoue,_" he growled. "You're not causing any one of us _trouble_."

When she degraded herself like that, when she made herself seem like she was the cause of everyone's problems, it _pissed him off_. She literally did _nothing_ to make anyone think she was the villain.

_She _did not cause the problem with Hueco Mundo. That shit was already started, she just helped speed it up. If anything, it was Urahara's fault for making the damn Hogyoku.

_She_ didn't cause the war in Karakura. Once again, already started.

_She_ didn't cause the shit happening with her soul. Aizen's fucking fault.

_She_ literally did _nothing_.

"You just happened to get caught in the crossfire," Ichigo said, scratching the back of his neck. "So don't... think you causing us to struggle, alright?"

He was so awkward it was adorable.

Orihime smiled brightly and nodded. He was always trying to reassure her that he was there, that it wasn't her fault, that she was the problem.

That was why she loved him.

After changing her clothes into the long skirt and sweater Ichigo brought her (blushing throughout the whole process), they both relaxed on her cement chair.

Vaguely, Orihime questioned why he was still there with her. Was it because he didn't know how to open a Garganta? Whatever the reason, Orihime didn't complain.

She was glad to have someone beside her, even if it was just for a little bit of time.

The auburn smiled at the bento in her lap as she picked through the vegetables and rice packed inside. Somewhere in her slightly damaged mind, she heard a voice whispering how much this was like a date. Well, if setting was less bloody, more stable, cleaner, warmer, and more romantic in general, it could be just like a 'date.'

It almost worried Ichigo how nervous he was feeling. Since when did _he_ feel nervous since the time he was about to battle Aizen?

No. That wasn't nervousness.

That was _fear_.

Ichigo leaned his head on his palm as his eyes strayed towards Inoue's form as she shoved a carrot in her mouth. She wasn't there when that battle had happened, was she? She didn't see the true form of that monster he struck down.

Lucky for her.

"Kurosaki-kun?" He heard Orihime say and felt her hand land on his own. Sliding his eyes to meet hers, he saw the worry clear as day shining in her hazel orbs. "Are you okay?"

Why was it the he could clearly feel her hand? Why was it that he was hyper aware of the lines on her palm and her finger prints?

And why did he have the urge to... hold her small hand?

Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows at the weird feelings coursing through his chest. Why the hell was he feeling this way? Never in his seventeen years of life had he ever experienced this. So why the hell was he feeling it now?

It confused him.

It irritated him.

It _annoyed_ him.

He _hated_ not knowing what the fuck was going on. Even more so when that shit was happening inside his body.

"Yeah. I'm fine," he assured her. At least he thought he was. Hopefully he was. "You really need to start worrying more about yourself instead of others."

"I've tried," Orihime admitted, looking a tad ashamed. "It didn't work too well."

A small grin tugged at Ichigo's lips. "Now this, I need to hear."

"You see, I remember walking across the crosswalk on my home from the store one day. There was little old lady on the other side waiting for the light to turn red so she could walk across, but there was only one car and it had already drove away," Orihime said. Ichigo paid close attention to her story, but he couldn't help but notice little things as she talked.

Little things like how her eyes lit up with the memory.

Little things like how she couldn't keep her hands still.

Little things like how she blinked more often as she talked.

Despite the fact that they had been friends for about a year, maybe longer, he noticed that he barely knew anything about her.

Why did he want to know more? About her? About everything involving her?

Shit. He felt sick. What the fuck was happening to him?

"Kurosaki-kun? Are you sure you're alright?" Orihime asked, placing her hand on his forehead.

Fuck.

His heart was beating all fast and shit.

He jerked his head away from his hand, surveying the slightly hurt look on her face.

Fuck.

His heart was hurting for some reason.

"I'm fine," he said, trying _so hard_ to get rid of that pained looked on her face. It made him feel uneasy and uncomfortable.

Out of the expressions she could make, that one suited her the _least_.

"I'm fine, really. Just think I'm getting a little sick," Ichigo said.

"I think I can heal that for you!" she piped.

"I don't think you can. It's something that can't be rejected... I think."

Orihime pouted.

"But..."

"I'm fine. I promise." For extra points, he let a small, reassuring smile grace his face. That seemed to appease her worries, for she smiled and let the subject drop.

Seeing her so worried for a person like him made him a tad happy.

But he didn't know the reason why.

**o0V0o**

Orihime felt completely satisfied by the time the Garganta appeared. Three hours. Three hours was the time she spent with Kurosaki-kun alone.

Of course her nerves were all tangled together and shooting nervous signals throughout her system during the time. But despite all of that, she was _relaxed_. They just sat and _talked, _something she hadn't done in about two weeks.

Those three hours spent with him could last her three lifetimes.

Orihime smiled brightly at him as he approached the Garganta. "It was really nice talking to you, Kurosaki-kun."

"You, too, Inoue. Still don't like the thought of you being here alone though," Ichigo said, looking outside of the barred window.

"It's alright!" she chirped, flexing a slender arm and showing off the tiny lump of muscle. "I'm strong enough to protect myself!"

He smirked and reached out to squeeze the muscle, feeling it flatten under his large hand. She gasped and Ichigo chuckled. "Yeah. Real strong."

"I-I have more muscle than that!" she squeaked. "You haven't seen my full form!"

"If you can get more muscle than me, then I can officially say you're physically strong. You're already mentally strong."

Orihime blushed at the compliment, twisting her fingers nervously as she looked down at the gray floor. "I'm not that strong... Mentally I mean."

Ichigo sighed and ruffled her hair. "Say whatever makes your boat float, but I know you're stronger than you think."

"It's 'whatever floats your boat' Kurosaki-kun."

"Same difference."

Orihime giggled, resting her hand on the hand on top of her head. She smiled softly, finally feeling as though she was home. Feeling as though he was just leaving her flat in Karakura.

But he wasn't.

He was leaving her in a whole other world. One more dangerous than Karakura.

_Alone._

Orihime really wanted to stop thinking so darkly. She was supposed to be happy person! Someone who always wore a smile on their face. Not one who frowned and cried.

_That_ was the Orihime she wanted to be.

She _knew_ that they would be back for her. So there was no need to cry. No need to feel lonely.

Especially not when she had someone in front of her who would fight to the ends of the earth for her.

"Oh Inoue," she heard Kurosaki-kun say. He pulled his hand from her head and reached into the pocket of his hakama, pulling out a small tube. "I don't know what this shit is, but Getaboshi wants you to try drinking it. He said it wasn't anything that hurt."

_That's what he said last time_, they thought.

Orihime swirled it around, testing the thickness. It was green this time and not bubbling. It also wasn't very thick, unlike the last one.

This was a new substance altogether.

"What does it do?" she asked, popping the cork out and smelling it. Lemon. Odd scent again.

"It's just supposed to 'coat your soul'. At least that's what he said."

Orihime hummed, pressing the cold tube to her lips.

Though the liquid wasn't thick at all, Orihime had a hard time swallowing it. It was almost as if something was keeping it from going down.

After a few attempts, she finally managed to swallow down half of it before giving up and closing the tube. "I-I can't... It's hard."

Ichigo smiled reassuringly. "It's alright. Getaboshi said something not being able to swallow the whole thing."

But still...

A harsh on her forehead kept her thoughts from running in the wrong direction. Orihime squeaked, touching her forehead softly and looked up at Ichigo.

"Don't you even think like that. You're not a failure for not drinking it all."

How did he...

Orihime smiled and decided to not to think about the answer. He stopped her from being pessimistic and that was all that mattered.

It was because he cared for her as a friend.

And, bitterly, she decided that she was content with just staying his _friend._

* * *

><p><em>Yeah yeah yeah I know. Not a lot going on considering the super long wait. But please understand that words have let me and so has my ability to be creative. It's like they grabbed their bags filled with pieces of my brain and ran away. It's okay though. They'll be back.<em>

_They always come back..._

_Anyway! I hope you enjoyed this little filler even though it was disgustingly horrible (can't believe I wrote such trash and POSTED it). I'll try to get the next chapter posted before my brain decides to leave me forever. I'll show it how much I need it and how much it needs me!_

_Please review if you can!_


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